In addition to a week off from work playing golf on great courses, the World Am provides participants with a truly unique experience at night — the World’s Largest 19th Hole. Inside the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, golfers are treated to all of the free food and free drinks they can stomach from great local restaurants.

The entrance to the Myrtle Beach Convention Center

Last night, the theme was "Southern Barbeque at Its Best" — a variety of great BBQ dishes was available. I was able to try the Carolina Sweet Pulled Pork, North Carolina Tar Heel Pulled Pork Sliders, and the Dixie Belle BBQ Meatballs before I was stuffed. Tonight, the theme is "A Taste of the Carolinas" and, as a Mississippian, I'm going to have to try the Low Country Catfish and the Carolina Creole Over Grits, to see if it lives up to what I'm treated to in the Deep South!

I like to pick up a plate (or two) of food and walk around the mini expo floor, which includes booths from companies like SkyCaddie to Club Crown to Jumbo Max Grips. In all there are over 60 companies -- and I’m not sure why there aren't more. Who wouldn't want to advertise directly to golfers who can afford to travel to play in a golf tournament? I spent a few minutes strolling through the aisles of booths to check out the goods.

One of several food lines next to the mini-expo.

The SkyCaddie booth at the World Am

Other product manufacturers at the mini-expo.

The 19th Hole has new features this year; The 19th Hole added a few things this year including a gaming area with pool tables, dart boards, and Golden Tee games. Also, they added what I called a "tailgate" area with Corn Hole. My favorite thing about the 19th Hole is the putting challenge. For $5, you get three chances to drain a 75-foot-double-breaking putt. If you make it, you have a chance to compete in the finals Thursday for $25,000!

Nobody was able to correctly play the double-break on the putting green.

This is Corn Hole, for you non-college football-tailgating oobers.

Video arcades never really go out of style, do they?

On the leaderboard and tied for second!

The oobers! From left to right: jfurr, mustang6560, Mandelbaum!, birdieXris, Jattruia, and GolfSmith7.

The 19th Hole also offers a variety of entertainment including a band and celebrity appearances. Last night, the band was "The Swingin' Medallions," a rock band whose 1966 hit "Double Shot of My Baby's Love" sold over 1.5 million copies. I wasn't familiar with the group, but there was a nice crowd listening. The celebrities were Golf Channel analyst Charlie Rymer and comedian Henry Cho. It's cool the World Am brings in celebrities, but the acoustics are pretty bad in the convention center — so unless you are seated in the chairs near the stage, you cannot hear anything. Needless to say, I didn't hear anything Charlie or Henry said during their appearances.

The guests tonight include everyone's favorite Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee (rumor was he was at Myrtlewood earlier today), while Rymer is making a second appearance. I plan to actually listen a little to Brandel tonight, since I enjoy his perspective.

Tonight will be crowded, but it won't be as busy as last night. (The first night of the 19th Hole is always the most-packed.) For now, I'm going to go get ready to meet up with the oobers for another fun night in the World's Largest 19th Hole!

All photos by Nathan J. Trifone

[ comments ]

bkuehn1952 says:Hey, don't stay out too late!!! And no booze! You have a tournament to win tomorrow.